The Opelousas courier., 1887-06-25
O1a tEae Ca1casieus.

From an interesting description of the voy-
age of the Press excursionists from Lake
Charles to the gulf, last week, which we find
in last Sundays Picaynne we make the fol-
lowing extracts:
On Thursday morning shortly after & o'clock
wharf at Lake Charles, and steamed across
the lovely little lake toward the point of land
where gap in the thick border of pine trees
marked the embouchure of the Caicasieu
river. There was ON board a large and lively
party of excursonists, composed OF members
Of the State Press Association and citizens of
the town of Lake Charles, prominent among
whom were Messrs. Thaddeus Mayo, D. B.
Gorham, James Kinder, FL. C. Drew, John
Mccormick, of the Commercial J. w. Bryan
Of the Echo; Prof. Knapp, and Mr.. Thomson,
of the Watkins Land Reclamation Company.
The spectator ON the deck Of the steamboat
counts nearly dozen immense saw mills in
full opeaation.
We have iu this vicinity" remarked Mr.
H. Z. Drew, a gentleman we'll posted on the
subject, to the representative OF the Picayune,
=" ten saw mills now at work. with capacity
Of 800. 600 feet per day. They employ about
1000 men directly. Then there is planning
mill with capacity of about 1876 900 feet per
day, and two large shingle factories, with
another in course of construction, which will
have a capacity of about l75, 900 per day.
There are at least 1000 persons directly or
indirectly supported Dy the lNmhef industry
in our immediate vicinity"
What we want" said Mr.. Drew, " is an
outlet to the gulf for our products. At the
mouth Of the Calcasieu there is now from to
8 feet on the bar We wish the general gov
ernment to increase that depth to l2 feet at
least, work which would cost about $500, 900.
With that Improvement accomplished there
would be a saving to us in freight of at least
5000, 600 annually and would open up to this
section large trade with the gulf and Cen
trail American ports, and which the class OF
vessels TINT can now come up to Lake Charles
cannot engage in with safety or success. There
are Two obstacles to navigation in the Calca-
sieu-the outer bar aud the shoai in Calcasieu
lake. An increase of six feet in depth on the
outer bar would enable vessels of considera-
Bile size to enter the river, where they could
receive part of their cargoes from lighters.
The channel through Calcasieu lake, which
formerly existed, having become partly filled
port has fallen off about so per cent
Thirty miles or so from Lake Charles the
river swells out into lake, which is the be-
ginning of II chain of which the lowermust
loop is Calcasieu lake, about one-third the
size of lake Ponchartrain, or say l6 miles long
and wide, with q depth ranging from to 10
feet. But before entering this body of water
there is something to be said of the vast work
of the Watkins Land Reclamation Company,
which has become such an important factor
10 the development and progress of south
western Louisiana. Ofthis enterprise great
deal has alrcady been written which it is not
proposed TO review in extenso at this ,iuncture.
AS the excursion boat steamed from the
river through one OF the broad canals dug by
the company, Mr.. Thomson, brother-in-law W
of Mr. Watkins. and the civil engineer of the
company, said TO the reporter: g Looking
south, this Sea marsh extends ten miles, and
east forty miles, making 400 square miles, or
1vs,, hat $b.a C..lu
sieu and Mermentau rivers. The tract ia
studded With lakes and intersected by bsyons.
This land properly drained and cultivated
onght to yield Is barrels of rice to the acre,
or 300 zoos, 600 barrels, worth at least 81 00O, =
OO0 | believe if the land was reclaimed and
would produce ut least $40, ,000, 900 worth Of
products The reclamation company adopted
plan Of drainage which comprised system
of large canals running east and west and
north and south. This method has been ap-
rliei To about 5000 acres. There are about
fN enty miles of canals in the system already
completed By the construction of few
more miles of canals we will open up some
10000 acres for pasturage. The modus oper-
andi pursued in draining ID much the same as
that IsI!93ed on sugar plantations The COM
pany's lands extend into Cameron and Yer.
m illion parishes and cotnprise abont ! 500, 600
acres, OF which about 5000 acres will be ready
for cultivation, hen two miles more OF CO mails
are dug, We employ three dredgeb0ats, and
the main canals are excasated to q depth and
width of 6 feet and % feet respectively
- What is it proposed to do with the land
after it has been reclaimed 7"
81 The plan is answered Dir. Thomson, 80
reclaim these rich lands and to lease them on
long time, the ditching, ETC.. to form part oi
the rent
The operations OF the reclamation company
arc not copfined exclusively to draining land
! Thcy own from $4,000 to $4,000 head of cattle
which range on the prairiea and marsh lands
of the Calcasieu. tract of 900 acres
has-been Enclosed with about 200 miles oi
fencing, aud $4,000 head of cattle Craze on
this vust range which will accommodate, ac.
cording to an estimate of Prof Knapp, 1000
head of cattle without food in addition to
that offered by the prairie and marsh.
1t seems very clear that Lake Charles bas
prosperous future in store. With its iunl.
Der trade, agricultural surroundings and uatrl-
| ral advantages it is impossible that its deyel-
opnient should not be steady and rapid. This
progress can of course he accelerated by the
cooperation of the great railroad which runs
through western Louisiana and by improving
the water communications with the gulf Thai
section is filling np with enterprising, ener
getic men froin the north and west. There is
probably in Lake Charles more wealth than il
any community of similar size in the State. A
thousand westerners are expected to settle in
/ Calcasieu next winter. These are imnjqrap,s
of substantial, well-to-do class, eacil Laviue
some money to lay out in buying land anu
making improvements 1t win give any Lou
isianian better idea of the diversity th
the States resources and its wonder
ful capabilities to make trip to the Cal
casiei, country. He will be certain to meci
with hearty reception from its hospitable
people.
d xs--sa---.-----.